Monthly Archives: May 2007

Today [May 30] is the last day, actually just part of a day, that those who are registered can vote for the Shareware Industry Awards. Voting closes at Noon MDT [2:00pm EDT], so as I write this, there is less than 10 hours remaining. Hurry!

The SIA nominees this year are interesting, too. The Best Application category has two strong candidates, ClipMate and CSE HTML Validator (against Open Orifice); it is unfortunate that they cannot both win. I am glad to see WISCO Word Power in the Best Educational Program or Game category, as well as Auction Sentry Deluxe nominated for Best Hobby or Personal Interest Program.

Of course, my primary (selfish) interest is in the Best Game – Non Action/Arcade category, where our Pretty Good MahJongg is nominated. I am completely biased, but I will nevertheless say: Please vote for Pretty Good MahJongg!

For those not in the shareware industry, or who did not get registered to nominate and vote for the Shareware Industry Awards, you can still support your favorite software (including Pretty Good MahJongg, hopefully) in the SIAF People’s Choice Awards. Voting for these awards is open to anybody (with an email address) and all software is eligible. If you want to vote for your favorite programs this year, you can do so by registering at http://www.siavoting.com/pcregister.php and then submitting your selection of up to 7 (seven) programs before tomorrow [May 31].

Yesterday, the Shareware Industry Awards Foundation announced the nominees for the 2007 Shareware Industry Awards. These awards are presented annually at the Software (nee Shareware) Industry Conference in sixteen different categories (of which 2.5 are for games). What makes these special is the fact that the nominations and final voting are all done by other industry professionals, so the awards are determined by our peers.

This year, Pretty Good MahJongg was nominated in the Best Non-Action Game category. We are honored to have received this first nomination for this (deserving, in my opinion) game, and I want to thank everybody who nominated it. Pretty Good MahJongg has been my favorite game for a while now, and I am happy that it is receiving this recognition. I certainly hope that it will garner the award, but this is a much appreciated first step. If you are registered to vote, please vote for PGMJ when voting begins on May 24.

The competition is Pocket War, by Metal Shard, and Ant War 1, by Anarchy Enterprises. Ironically, both of the other two product titles include the word, “War”. If Pretty Good MahJongg can capture the pacifist vote, and the other two split the martial vote, we should be fine. Seriously, it definitely appears that all three products are quite different, so the results will be interesting.

In addition to the Shareware Industry Awards, there are also the SIAF People’s Choice Awards that are presented at the same ceremony. Voting for these awards is open to anybody (with an email address) and all software is eligible. If you want to vote for your favorite programs this year, you can do so by registering at http://www.siavoting.com/pcregister.php and then submitting your selection of up to 7 (seven) programs before May 31.

Please vote for Pretty Good MahJongg on May 24, if you are registered, and please consider voting for PGMJ (and/or our other games) for a SIAF People’s Choice Award.